Medjool Dates

On an acre of land, up to fifty females and one male can grow in harmony. A 15 to 20 year old tree will yield about 200 pounds of Medjool dates a year.

Where fossils show they thrived 50 million years ago, humans have been cultivating them for 6,000 years. Hundreds of varieties are grown worldwide, while only twelve are grown in the States. Of those, over 90% of the total US crop are grown in the Coachella Valley.

Though, they have been in the US since the 18th century when the Spaniards planted them around their missionaries, it wasn't until 1927 that the Medjool variety was brought here to the US. In 1927, when a fungal disease threatened to decimate the Moroccan industry, 11 offshoots were brought to the US by a horticulturalist. After a seven-year quarantine in Nevada, the nine surviving plants were sent to Southern California. Those original nine plants are the ancestors of the millions of Medjool date palms that grow in California today.

About Medjool Dates
With nicknames like the King of Dates, Medjool dates are a deep amber-brown with crinkly skin and a glow of their own. The sticky like flesh melts in your mouth with a perfect mix of sweetness that reminds you of caramel honey cinnamon! Based on taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture, the Medjool date is definitely the "king" of dates - and it is easy to understand why these dates alone were reserved for the Moroccan royalty.

To store Medjools, leave them covered on the counter for up to a week or place them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to six months.
These dates just shine in our deviled date recipe!